The United States prides itself on being an independent society, championing individuals’ ability to carve out their own path and narrative in life. However, while we espouse the rhetoric of…
Politicians benefit from voters not voting
People in positions of power often prefer selective voting participation. This is evident from numerous instances of voter disenfranchisement, which often conveniently aligns with politicians’ avoidance of accountability and compliance…
Cop cities and the militarization of vulnerable populations
From Atlanta to Oregon, cop cities are being built which constitute a significant danger to our community. These facilities add to the already disproportionate targeting of Black and Brown neighborhoods,…
Shen Yun is a cult
There comes a time of year when Shen Yun cookie-cutter advertisements sprout up around the city in the same pose with dace ribbons attached to their arms mid-split leap, the…
U.S. exceptionalism in Hollywood
Westerners—especially white people from the United States—are always the good guys. At least, that’s what Hollywood wants you to think. Something that people in this country either take for…
Global genocide and anti-Blackness
From Palestine to Hawai’i, Indigenous people all over the world suffer at the hands of neocolonialism and ethnic cleansing, with Rafah facing a ground invasion while those in the United…
Children at work
Children should never have to do a grown-up’s job. However, unfortunately, this is not a reality even in the twenty-first century. According to the European Union, 152 million children…
TurboTax? More like TurboTyranny
If George Washington were around today, he would take one look at the United States tax filing system and say, “Dying is easy; doing taxes is harder.” Now is…
Capitalizing on catastrophe
For private, profit-driven companies, disaster exists for the sole purpose of making a profit. Disaster capitalism is the opportunistic infiltration of capital into disaster-affected, socially vulnerable communities. In their…
Criminalizing substance use does not help
It’s been over three years since Portland passed the now infamous Measure 110 on Nov. 3, 2020. Measure 110 gained popularity with what started as the potential to end the…
What happened to peaceful protests?
As we see an increase in political activism—especially with younger people taking to the street and demanding not to be ignored—the people who want to ignore them will be angry….